Gestational diabetes is something that women may experience while they are pregnant. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin while the woman is pregnant to keep up with the additional sugar that is created by the body.
After the baby is born, the gestational diabetes will go away. However, there are still some risks involved for the baby at this time. One of the main issues that babies face after their mother had gestational diabetes is becoming overweight. While this usually occurs during the first three months after birth, it is also something that can follow them much further in their lives.
However, there are things that the mother can do to help lessen their baby’s chances of becoming overweight. Research shows that breastfeeding is one of the best things to do for babies in this circumstance.
It is best to breastfeed for longer than three months in order to lower the chances that the baby will become overweight. Research has shown that doing so will lower the risk by as much as fifty percent. This can also lower the chance that the child has of developing type 2 diabetes, which is also higher if the mother had gestational diabetes while she was pregnant.
